BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Just in time for Thanksgiving, North Kern State Prison and the Delano Police Department are coming together to make sure local families don’t go without a holiday meal. Come along with us as we drop off these birds!
North Kern State Prison and the Delano Police Department are teaming up to make sure local families have a Thanksgiving meal this year.
“Today we’re doing a turkey drive for the residents of the city of Delano. We’re just out here handing out turkeys and other foods they need for Thanksgiving.” Arturo Herrera, a patrol officer with the Delano Police Department, said.
Hundreds of turkeys and meal boxes were handed out at the Delano Police Department headquarters. For those unable to pick theirs up, officers headed out into the community to deliver the holiday meals. I joined Officer Arturo Herrera as he dropped off turkeys to families in need.
I asked Arturo, “What is your favorite part about giving back to your community?”
Arturo says, “I would say the smiles, the laughs, the conversations that come with giving back to the families — and also the reassurance of being told thank you for what you do, and thank you for being a voice for a lot of people that kind of feel ashamed of contacting us or kind of feel fear towards contacting law enforcement.”
One family told me the food they received couldn’t have come at a better time. “It means a lot because we don’t really have much at home anyway. We were actually about to go to the store right now to buy food, but this actually helps a lot.” Athena Cisneros said.
Officer Herrera says this event is about more than food — it’s about building trust and making sure no one goes without Thanksgiving in Delano. “Well, the main thing it does is obviously help the families that are in need of food items for the holidays, but it also grows the community relations between us officers and the residents here in Delano.”
Organizers say efforts like this help strengthen community connections and ensure every family can celebrate the holiday.
Just like that, Thanksgiving is a little brighter for local families.
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